Starter: word-association!

Write down
the first word that pops into you head
when you think of abortion. Be ready to
share it!

Is Abortion Right?
Objectives:
To know what the law in Britain says about abortion.
To understand pro-life and pro-choice arguments about
abortion.
 Before 1967…

…abortion was illegal, but many women did it

anyway!
If you were rich…
If you
weren’t…
If you
weren’t…
 1967 Abortion Act
The pregnancy must not have gone
past 28 weeks

1990 Human Embryology and

Fertilisation Act
The time limit was reduced to 24
weeks!
What does the law say about
abortion?
 Abortion and the Law

• An Abortion has to be
approved by at least two
doctors
• There must be certain
circumstances:
• Risk to mother’s life
• Risk to physical / mental health of
mother
• Child will have a serious disability
• Risk to existing children
Woman

Can have an abortion…

…if her life is in danger.

…if her health would be

affected.

…if her family would suffer as a

result of the new born child.

She can go to a private clinic if

the NHS does not grant
permission for a abortion.
Who is involved?

Doctor

Not obliged to agree to

perform abortion.

Must sign a certificate

with another doctor.

Cannot perform
abortion after 24 weeks.
Man

Has no right to be
consulted.

Cannot raise any

objection.
 Abortion and the Law
1. Describe what took place before the Abortion Act of 1967
2. Draw a spider diagram to explain the 1967 Abortion Act in
detail.
3. Why do you think the Government changed the law on
abortion?
4. Do you agree with the law? Explain your answer in detail.
What parts do you like and what do you dislike?

Challenge:
If something is legal, it must be right! Do you agree?
 Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice
Pro-Choice
Pro-Choice groups, such as Abortion Rights, agree with
legalised abortion because they argue that the
woman’s life comes first. She caries the baby, goes
through childbirth and looks after the child, and so
should have the right to choose whether she continues
the pregnancy. Her life is affected and so if there is a
danger that she might be harmed physically or
mentally then an abortion should be allowed.
Pro-Choice groups believe that human life does not
really start until birth, or at the earliest at viability (the
time from which a foetus can survive outside the
womb), so the mother’s life is more valuable. They
believe it is cruel to bring a severely physically or
mentally disabled child into the world.
Pro-Life
Pro-Life groups, such as the Society for the
protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC), argue
that life begins at conception because all the
DNA is present to create a unique individual, so
abortion is a form of murder and therefore
wrong. The unborn child needs to be protected
as stated in the UN Declaration of the Rights of
the Child. Pro-Life groups believe that disabled
people can enjoy a good quality of life, and that
unwanted children could be adopted by those
who are unable to have children of their own.
They remind people that often those who have
an abortion suffer depression and guilt as a
result.
 Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice
• Look at the cartoons on your cards.
1. Sort them into groups of pro-life and pro-
choice.
2. Which of these cartoons do you think makes
the strongest point?
3. Do you find any of these cartoons disturbing
or unacceptable?
A B C

D E F
 Grade 8-9
Grade 4-5 Grade 6-7 1. Evaluate the views
1. Describe the 1. Why do you of the Pro-Life and
different think the issue Pro-Choice groups,
views of the of abortion suggesting what
generates such you find convincing
Pro-Life and strong opinions? and unconvincing
Pro-Choice Refer to the about their
groups. beliefs of Pro- arguments. Which
2. Which Choice and Pro- side do you agree
group do Life groups in with the most?
your answer. 2. Using what we
you think have learnt so far
2. Which side of
has the the debate are about Christian
most you most views, explain
convincing convinced by whether you think
arguments and why? a Christian would
be pro-life or pro-
and why? choice.
Starter: this quote is taken from the Bible and
is often referred to as ‘the Golden Rule’ for
Christians in making ethical decisions.
1. Try to explain the meaning of this quote
in your own words.
2. How might it apply to abortion? Think
about this carefully…

Are Christians anti-

abortion?
Objectives:
To know what is meant by the ‘sanctity of life’.
To understand religious teachings relating to the value of human life.
To understand different Christian approaches to the issue of abortion
What is meant by ‘the
sanctity of life’?
Christian beliefs about the Sanctity of Life;
• Each person is a separate, living human being with many
rights, especially the right to life.
• God’s creation of man and woman was personal.
• ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…..’ Genesis
1:26
• God made Adam then ‘breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life’. He gave him a soul. (Genesis)
• God is the Lord of life because he is the Creator.
• God has given life to everyone so it is only right that he
decides when it begins and ends.
• Life must be protected and used in the way God wants.
• If life comes from God, then life is sacred.
• God has a plan for all his creation.
 “Then God said, ‘Let us make
mankind in our image, in our
likeness.’” (Genesis 1:26)

“Before I formed you in the womb I

knew you, before you were born I set
you apart.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

“You shall not murder”

(Exodus 20:13)

“So in everything, do to others what

you would have them do to you”
(Matthew 7:12)
“For you created my inmost being:
you knit me together in my mother’s
womb” (Psalm 139:13)
1. Copy the diagram above.
2. Next to each bubble on the diagram,
write down a verse from the list
opposite that you think matches. E.g. 5
‘life should not be destroyed’ – “You shall
not murder.” (Exodus 20:13)
Christian attitudes towards abortion - Catholics
• Roman Catholics are against abortion
• Life is sacred and should never be deliberately destroyed
• Ten Commandments – “thou shall not kill”
• Even if the woman has been raped abortion is wrong
• The only time Catholics accept abortion is if the mother’s
life is at risk
• Only God can decide when life begins and ends
• The Book of Jeremiah
• Abortion could be seen as spoiling Gods plans for an
individual
“Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you, before you
were born I set you apart”
Jeremiah 1:5
Christian attitudes towards abortion – Church of England
• Other Christians, such as the Church of England,
accept abortion in some situations.
• The issue is up to the conscience of the individual.
• There could be serious circumstances.
• If you were stuck in a difficult situation as a
mother you would not like to be told you were a
murderer.
• You should use the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12).
• Christian principle of agape – unconditional
love/respect.
• Abortion could be the most loving and caring thing
to do.

Do to others what you

would have them do to you.
(Matthew 7:12)
 Irish committee recommends removing
abortion ban
20 December 2017

The cross-party group of politicians has recommended new legislation on time limits for terminations
An Irish Parliamentary committee has recommended that the Republic liberalise its abortion laws.
The committee was set up to assess the constitution's eighth amendment, which gives an equal right to life to a pregnant woman and an unborn child.
The main conclusion of its report is that this must be removed to allow "some change" in Irish abortion law.
The cross-party group recommended also recommended new legislation on time limits for terminations.
The committee's chairwoman said it was never about reaching a consensus as it is a divisive issue.
Senator Catherine Noone said the report reflected the fact that the views of the majority of the committee sit in the middle of polar opposite views on abortion.
Senator Noone said it would take time for the Irish public and politicians to consider and understand the report's recommendations.
She also said next summer's referendum on the eighth amendment would give the Irish people their say on the issue.
In 2013, abortion was permitted for the first time in the country under certain conditions - when doctors deem that a woman is at risk of taking her life, or that her life is
at risk due to medical complications.
The law does not allow for terminations in cases of rape or incest, or when there is a foetal abnormality.
The law was introduced in the wake of the case of an Indian woman, Savita Halappanavar, who died in a Galway hospital in 2012 after she was refused an abortion.
The eighth amendment to the Republic's constitution, introduced in 1983, "acknowledges the right to life of the unborn".
In what was known as the X Case of 1992, a 14-year-old rape victim was initially prevented from travelling to England to terminate her pregnancy.
This ruling was overturned by the Irish Supreme Court and a referendum approved a further update to the constitution, stating that the eighth amendment did not
restrict the freedom to travel to another state.
Three members of the committee, who are in favour of retaining the eighth amendment, had already confirmed they would not put their names to the final report.
Senator Rónán Mullen, Mattie McGrath TD (member of the Irish parliament) and Peter Fitzpatrick TD have made their own recommendations.
Mr McGrath said one "huge gaping hole" during the committee hearings was the lack of legal representation to defend the constitution.
Speaking to Irish national broadcaster RTÉ, he rejected the conclusions of the report to recommend repealing the amendment and to allow access to abortion up to 12
weeks.
He said it "behoves the government of the day" to defend the constitution, but this did not take place, despite "several requests for legal representation from the
Attorney General's office to defend the status quo".
It is three months to the day since the committee sat for the first time in public session to consider recommendations from the Citizens Assembly on Article 40.3.3 (the
eighth amendment).
Members considered the constitutional, legal and medical grounds for abortion in Ireland and the report reflects votes taken by members of the Irish parliament and
senators earlier in December when the majority voted in favour of repealing the amendment.
 Explain two contrasting beliefs in
contemporary British society about abortion.
In your answer you should refer to the main
religious tradition of Great Britain and one or
more other religious tradition. (4 marks)